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What Is the Role of Brand in Management Consulting? Research Highlights from Industry Study

In partnership with the Association of Management Consulting Firms (AMCF), the Brand Influence Guide for Management Consulting (BIG:MC) examines how management consulting firms are leveraging brand as a business asset. See more at http://www.desantisbreindel.com/big/management-consulting/

What Is the Role of Brand in Management Consulting? Research Highlights from Industry Study

1.
The BIG Question
What is the role of branding in management
consulting?
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com

2.
An organization’s brand is
reflected in its distinct values
system, unique personality, and a
clear vision of what it stands for.
Brand is embedded in the culture,
and shapes and guides how the
organization presents itself (both
internally and externally) and
carries out its mission.
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com

3.
A shifting landscape, starting from the top.
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com

4.
Overarching questions we set out to answer.
 How is brand being used as a business asset?
 How can branding and marketing help firms achieve business goals?
 How does brand compare with partner reputation as a business
builder?
 Is the role/importance of brand related to firm size?
 What are the most effective channels for connecting with key internal
and external audiences?
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com

5.
Methodology
Online surveys sent to AMCF membership and database.
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com

6.
Who Responded: Functional Roles
Q/ Which of the following best describes the area of specialization of your position? (n=76)
18%
25%
5%
8%
3%
26%
7%
8%
Service line
Corporate strategy/head of practice
HR
Industry vertical
IT
Marketing
Operations/Finance
Other
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com

7.
Who Responded: Geography
Q/ Which of the following best describes your firm's geographic focus? (n=76)
13%
12%
29%
45%
1%
Regional
National (US) with little to no global reach
Primarily national (US) with some global reach
Global
Non-US with US office(s)
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com

8.
Who Responded: Organizational Structure
Q/ What is the ownership structure of your firm? (n=76)
37%
43%
20%
Partnership
Privately held
Public
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com

9.
Who Responded: Titles
Q/ Which of the following titles best identifies the level of your position within the firm? (n=76)
20%
36%
9%
15%
12%
9%
Executive Management
Partner/Owner
Vice President
Director
Manager
Other, please specify
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com

10.
Who Responded: Size
Q/ Approximately how many full-time employees are there at your firm? (n=76)
BIG & BIGGER
STRADDLERS
GAINING SCALE
BOUTIQUE
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com
30%
31%
20%
19%
Less than 50
50-1000
1001-5000
Over 5000

34.
As firms grow, partner reputation evolves from a driver
of new business to a driver of relationships.
How important of a role do you think the reputation of a firm’s partners play in the following
areas: (n=78)
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com

35.
Not surprisingly, small firms fear a partner’s departure the
most.
If the founding partners were to leave your firm, how much business do you estimate your firm
would lose?
45%
88%
55%
12%
Less than 50
50-1000
N=43
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com
Less than 50% More than 50%

36.
As firms grow, the importance of the firm’s reputation begins
to trump the reputation of its leadership.
Would you say that the public perception of your firm is driven more by the reputation of the
leadership or the reputation of the company itself?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Driven more by reputation company Driven more by reputation of leadership
BOUTIQUE
Less than 50
GAINING SCALE
50–1,000
STRADDLERS
1,001–5,000
BIG & BIGGER
More than 5,000
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com

37.
Smaller firms are more dependent on
the reputation of their founding
partners. Given the risks,
establishing a strong point of
difference more broadly is a vital
step toward sustainable growth.

41.
The middle’s lack of enthusiasm runs the gamut.
How strongly do you agree with the following statements about your firm’s brand?
5
5.5
6
6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
Represents a unique
ID and point of
differentiation
Embodies a distinct
value system
Defines a clear
vision of what we
stand for
Is strongly
embedded within our
culture
Is clearly
communicated
through our
marketing
Is consistently
carried out through
the products /
services we offer
Is easily understood
by those outside of
our organizaiton
BOUTIQUE
Less than 50
GAINING SCALE
50–1,000
STRADDLERS
1,001–5,000
BIG & BIGGER
More than 5,000
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com

43.
Mid-size firms have an identity issue.
Perhaps it’s because they’ve grown
as a collection of practice areas, or
through acquisitions. They aren’t
small enough to be boutiques or
large enough to be global, full-
service leaders.

44.
/What Is the Perceived
Importance of Marketing in
Management Consulting?5

47.
Marketing professionals are less positive about the impact of
brand than others in the firm!
How important of a role do you think the brand of your company plays in the following areas:
6
6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
9
Attracting new business Engaging clients Building long-term
relationships
Attracting talent
Non-marketing executives Marketing executives
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com

48.
Marketing respondents focused on attributes that are more
outwardly focused.
Marketing
Collaborative
Client-focused
Results-oriented
Corporate Strategy
Trustworthy
Thoughtful
Professional
What three adjectives would you use to describe your firm?
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com

56.
In a digital world, a firm’s websites is
the hub of its digital brand
experience. But tradeshows and
events are still the #1 budget item.
Does in-person engagement still
deliver the highest return?

57.
Mid-sized firms need to define themselves.
 A constant squeeze:
 Mid-size firms have more resources, breadth and capabilities than small firms, yet less focus
and specialization …
 but they lack the presence and scale the large firms.
 Caught between small firms – typically built around a focused strength
– and large firms – guided by heritage, mid-size firms see themselves
– and their brands – in a constant state of evolution.
Implication:
Branding around a strong, unified culture may be the mid-size firm’s
best opportunity to create differentiation from larger firms.
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com

58.
Your brand walks out the door every day.
 As a group, you feel you communicate your brand more effectively
through behavior than through formal marketing efforts or internal
engagement.
 This represents an opportunity to capture and codify the essence of
your brand as it is expressed by your people and the services they
deliver.
Implications:
 Rethink proposals, pitch books and thought leadership – do they
reflect the brand that your people are living?
 Demonstrate “behavior” in marketing by focusing on how your
brand is embodied in your people and services: let the market “hear”
your people, see them at work, engage with their perspectives.
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com

59.
Find out what drives your brand.
Where are you on the partner-firm spectrum?
 Do the reputations of your partners drive your brand? Or is it the
reputation of the firm itself?
 Where do you want to be on the spectrum? Will a partner-driven
brand scale with your firm’s growth?
 How can you build thought capital into a brand without tying the
brand too closely to any individual or group?
Implication:
Look to internal and external research to determine the core drivers
or your brand.
See more study results at: BIGMgmtConsulting.com